1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to game apparatus for controlling permission to execute action that can be performed by a game character, and methods for adjusting timing for executing actions performed by the game character based on elapsed time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, role-playing games (RPGs) are known as one genre of video games. In RPGs, a character (hereinafter referred to as a "Player Character") controlled by a player develops by experiencing encounters with other characters which are companions, parting from them, and fighting with enemy characters. The player uses the player character to struggle for world created by the game, or to solve mysteries or uncover secrets. Accordingly, in general, RPGs are games with player characters which develop as a game story progresses.
In many RPGs, a player character fights against an enemy character in accordance with predetermined rules, and gradually develops by gaining fighting experience. This type of game in which the player character fights against the enemy character includes games of various genres such as simulation games (hereinafter referred to as "SLGs") and adventure games (hereinafter referred to as "ADGs"), in addition to RPGs.
A publication related to this type of technology is U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,937.
In games using the above-described technology, permission for layer and enemy characters to execute a possible action such as attacking, defending, moving, or using an item, is controlled based on the time elapsed from the start of a fight, or the time elapsed after the execution of an action. In games controlling permission to execute action, in general, whenever one standby time set for each character expires, one action is permitted to be executed by the other character (e.g. it becomes the other character's turn.).